


A Good Man Is Hard To Find

by Moominchild



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur Finds Out About Merlin’s Magic (Merlin), Episode: s02e01 The Curse of Cornelius Sigan, Gen, Magic, Season 2 Episode 1, and then actually treats him like a human being, but you can read it that way if you want, don't get mislead from the misleading summary, everyone always ignores merlin even though he's always right, im fuming, not going to lie, obviously, so I wrote this, so i rewatched this and was upset, they're not actually written to be in a relationship, this is actually quite intense, this is totally not crack, you do you honey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 08:05:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18734986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moominchild/pseuds/Moominchild
Summary: Cornelius Sigan possesses Cedric's body and attempts to destroy Camelot. Merlin's not about to let that happen, even if it means risking his own life in the process. Arthur, however, manages to witness this.So this is basically a divergent ending to the episode, because I was Not A Happy Camper and was frankly disgusted with the way Arthur treated Merlin. And I love a bit of spite (that inevitably comes back to haunt you) so I just changed it up a bit. You know. Made Arthur regret everything he's ever done. The usual.Alternate summary that I included purely for the bants:When Cornelius Sigan takes up residence in the body of Cedric (Arthur's not-so-hot new manservant), Merlin is (once again) the only one who can save Camelot. He has to get over his (well-justified if you ask him, petty if you ask Gaius) grudge against the dragon and actually protect this goddamn unprotectable city. All whilst Arthur takes a little nap (knocked out from battle wounds, but. you know. same thing.)But this time Arthur's awake enough to see just how he does it.This is actually a really serious and dramatic piece of work. Like no comedy in it at all. Sorry if the summary is a bit misleading.





	A Good Man Is Hard To Find

The loud slam of metal against stone rang out in his ears but he didn’t stop. The promise he made to the Great Dragon was still bitter on his tongue, the idea making Merlin feel nauseous. The release of such twisted power on the world would only end up destroying it; the Dragon cared only for himself. But he couldn’t let Camelot fall just because he was too busy deliberating over what to do. He would have to figure it out later.

He unlocked one of the doors to the citadel with a quick flash of his eyes and slipped quietly through the stone arch ways. Merlin could see the fog curling between the cobbles, like long gnarled fingers sinking themselves into every surface. The ground was littered with the dead, blood staining the streets.

In the middle Merlin could just make out a shadow, standing perfectly still, as though he was one of the gargoyles before they had been brought to life. The fog seemed to clear, as though making way for its master.

“Merlin.” Cedric said in a voice that was not his own. _Sigan._

Merlin stepped forwards slowly, his shoulders tensing and his arms out, preparing for the inevitable fight.

“Who would have thought? You, one of the most powerful beings in Camelot. A _servant._ ” He spat the word out like it was dirty, like Merlin was wrong to dedicate his life to his future King, the other side of the same coin.

“You know, it doesn’t have to be this way. You, a servant. I could help you. I could make you great, greater than you already are. Join me Merlin, and we could rule. We could be the most powerful people in the land.”

“No, I can’t leave him.”

“Merlin, he treats you like his slave, when you hold enough power to destroy the ground we stand upon. We could be so powerful Merlin, if you join me at my side. People would respect and worship you for miles and miles.”

And _God_ , was it bad he was considering it? He had thought Arthur had trusted him, that they might- heaven forbid- be _friends_. But then Arthur had tossed him aside at a moment’s notice. After a few small mistakes. He knows he didn’t fall asleep in that stable, he couldn’t have done. Hell, even if he had, it wasn’t his job. The King employed stable hands for a reason; Merlin didn’t know the first thing about horses. Arthur had called Merlin mad and locked him up in the dungeons, like he hadn’t saved Arthur's life countless times before. Arthur had seen and witnessed it first hand, had seen the loyalty with which Merlin had served, far more than any servant before him. Merlin had given his life for Arthur before, and it all amounted to nothing. Arthur still treated him like the dirt under his shoe, instead of at the least recognising his loyalty and his tendency to be right about these things. _God_ , what Sigan was offering sounded so tempting. But he couldn’t.

“No. It doesn’t matter how he treats me. He could ask me to kneel down and bark like a dog and I would. I would do anything for him, I have a faith in him stronger than any God or deity could even dream for. I have given my life countless times for his, more than he will ever know. But that is what I do. It is my destiny to stand at his side and protect him. It doesn’t matter that I have the power to split the ground we walk on, to stop the sun from shining in the sky. It is his, all my power, all that I am, it is his.”

 

Arthur stirred from where he was lying on the floor. The ringing in his ears began to slowly fade, giving way to the silence. No, that wasn’t right, it wasn’t silent; he could hear voices talking. He turned his head slightly to try and figure out where he was. He was in the citadel, the cold of the cobbles seeping through his armour. It was night and it was abandoned. The darkness of the sky seemed all encompassing, unnatural and suffocating. He could barely see three feet in front of him what with the fog twisting like fire, but it began to dissipate slightly and he could see two figures in front of him. Two men, not particularly large in stature, one standing relaxed, the other wired up and tense. They were talking, all raised voices and biting words and- wait, was that _Merlin?_

The ringing in his ears finally stopped and he could hear their conversation.

“Join me Merlin, and we could rule. We could be the most powerful people in the land.” Good God, that was Cedric. The helpful young man who Arthur had trusted, who had been so good at what he did. Merlin had been right. He didn’t know why it surprised him, Merlin was always right about these things, and instead of listening like a prince- a future King, a good man- should have, he had locked Merlin up in the dungeons in a fit of anger. Wait- surely he should still be in the dungeons then? How did he- Arthur was too tired to care. Most of his effort was going into not falling unconscious, he could tell this was important.

“No I can’t leave him.” Arthur would have breathed a sigh of relief if he could breathe properly at all. His armour had twisted in his fall and was now cutting into his chest in a way that Arthur was desperately trying to ignore. Merlin was loyal, would always be. If there was one thing he could count upon it would be that Merlin would always defend him, no matter how silly it was.

“Merlin, he treats you like a slave, when you hold enough power to destroy the ground we walk on.” Cedric implored, anger slipping through slightly, enough to remind Arthur he wasn’t the deferential servant he made out. Arthur wondered what power he was going on about. Merlin was clumsy and a bumbling fool most of the time, no matter how brave. If he had any sort of power, Arthur was sure he would have figured it out, and he was certain Merlin was nothing but ordinary. Cedric was mad, Merlin was right about that. His power had probably gone to his head and turned him insane.

“We could be so powerful Merlin, if you join me at my side. People would respect and worship you for miles and miles.” Even if Merlin did have this power, he wouldn’t join Cedric, surely. He was loyal to Arthur and Camelot. But that gnawed at him. No one did show Merlin any respect. Courtiers ignored him, Morgana teased him relentlessly when she noticed he was there, and his father was downright cruel. Arthur was no better. He often forgot what Merlin had done for him. Just after they had met- loathing flowing through both their veins- he had still risked his life for Arthur's, placing himself in the knife’s way. Merlin was such a good man. He had helped Lancelot, despite them only having just met. He drank from the poison chalice in Arthur’s place. He had pretended to be a sorcerer to save Gwen. He was constantly saving people and no one was able to comprehend what he had done. He was considered a liability most days and forced to work like a dog. Arthur hated to admit it, but if Merlin had been anyone else, Arthur would have knighted him. He would be the wise councillor even at such a young age. He would be Arthur’s right hand man. Arthur would see him as an equal. He had proved himself over and over again and yet everyone seemed to forget what he’d done once the week was out. And Merlin never brought it up. Never complained about his work load (not seriously at least), never complained at Arthur’s patronising and derogatory tone, never used what he had done as black mail, never lorded it over Arthur’s head. Merlin was a good man. But surely there was a limit to everyone’s goodness, even Merlin’s.

Merlin hesitated in his answer. Arthur’s wariness grew rapidly his head filled with no, no, he can’t, not Merlin, no. Cedric’s smirk began to grow. He thought he was winning. And- and-

So did Arthur.

He had ruined his kingdom. If Merlin really was as powerful as Cedric made out, then he would destroy Camelot, destroy Uther. Destroy Arthur. He’d done this. He’d waved about his entitlement, treated Merlin horrifically- like a slave. Cedric was right. Arthur deserved no forgiveness, no allowance. Merlin’s loyalty must have been stretched too far. It was not infinite. Arthur had worn it away, worn it to the point of disrepair. And now Arthur would pay the price. No. Camelot would pay for Arthur’s mistake, his idiocy, his cruelty. He’d given his life to help save Camelot, to make it stronger, the people happier and now he was the reason it would crumble.

“No.” The word startled Arthur out of his spiral. His eyes snapped to Merlin, pale skin shining bright against the empty blackness of the night. He looked otherworldly. The scowl on his face made him a God smiting a pathetic mortal, his skin snow white- as though the moon itself was trapped inside him. His eyes glared at Cedric, rage and fury burning bright in him, white hot lighting striking the earth. Looking at his eyes, he could practically hear the thunder they brought. Wait, no- it wasn’t his imagination, he could actually hear the thunder rolling across the sky, gathering unnaturally quickly above them. Above Merlin. His fingers sparked with electricity, each step he took forward crackled with power.

“It doesn’t matter how he treats me. He could ask me to kneel down and bark like a dog and I would. I would do anything for him, I have a faith in him stronger than any God or deity could even dream for. I have given my life countless times for his, more than he will ever know. But that is what I do. It is my destiny to stand at his side and protect him. It doesn’t matter that I have the power to split the ground we walk on, to stop the sun from shining in the sky. It is his, all my power, all that I am, it is his.”

Arthur sucked in a shaky breath. He didn’t deserve this. The world didn’t deserve someone as good as Merlin.

Merlin strode forward until there was only two or so feet between him and Cedric. The wind whipped and howled ferociously, embracing Merlin’s righteous fury and attacking the feathers of Cedric’s coat, the crumbling stone facades of the castle, the torn clothes of the dead, lying deserted around the pair. Cedric’s beasts had ripped apart the castle, and Arthur could only hope most of his people had made it out alive.

“Fine. If you will not join me, I will have to harness your power for myself.” The silence rang out in the citadel, the only noise the quiet rumble of thunder from above and Arthur waited with bated breath.

Cedric began to choke. He grabbed at his throat as his body convulsed, suffocating on something Arthur could not see. Panic flashed across his eyes for a split second before his body crumbled to the ground. Nothing moved, not even Merlin’s army of natural elements. Was it over? Had he just died of his own accord? Just as he was about to sit up, a thin trail of blue smoke left Cedric’s parted lips. It curled upwards like the first smoke from a fire, an unearthly blue light, stark against the indomitable black sky.

Merlin began to call out strange commands, his voice rising louder and louder until he was roaring the words at the sky. A foreign tongue that both scared and calmed Arthur, this chant was directed at the heavens themselves, calling to the earth. The smoke wound its way towards Merlin, a panther cornering its prey. Merlin’s eyes looked ignited with fire, irises turning amber. It roared out of him with each word, each breath screaming power to an illimitable extent. His orders never stopped, tongue carving power into each syllable, each incomprehensible phrase, that sounded as though it had built time itself. The smoke entered Merlin’s mouth, crawling its way down Merlin’s throat, choking him until he couldn’t talk anymore. Arthur watched on, paralysed, horror consuming his every thought as Merlin fell to the floor, eyes unseeing. The clouds roared out one last deafening roll of thunder before silencing for good. No, Merlin couldn’t be dead, he just couldn’t. He was supposed to be by Arthur’s side until they were both old and grey. Arthur waited for Merlin to get up, to stand and laugh and walk over to Arthur and everything to go back to normal. But he just laid there, shadow masking his face. Arthur’s eyes rolled up to stare at the sky, stars hidden by a veil of black. God, Merlin had given his life protecting this city, protecting him, and he hadn’t even been able to say thank you. Hadn’t even been able to say good bye. Merlin had magic, and he had never told Arthur. Had never taken credit for all the times he had undoubtedly saved his life because he would have been punished, killed even. The injustice of it all crushed Arthur like a heavy weight upon his chest. He had been loyal and brave- so brave, braver than Arthur could ever hope to be- up until his dying breath and if he had lived, it wouldn’t have even mattered. If this hadn’t have killed him, Uther would have. He would hav- no. No, he could never. But... he didn’t know that, did he? He had hunted sorcerers without a second thought, had taken it as his duty, his purpose in life. And now the one he hunted, the whole city hunted, defied this logic and gave his life protecting them. His hunters, his oppressors. And Arthur didn’t know what to do. It felt as though his whole world had been tipped upside down. His purpose, his ideology, the one stable fact he had known all his life- was a lie. And now he couldn’t even thank Merlin. Couldn’t even apologise for everything he’d done to Merlin’s kind under his father’s ord- no, no point in lying now. The king would not have been able to force him to kill. He did so under his own will. And now the guilt clawed at his stomach, making a nice little home inside of him. And Arthur didn’t know what to do.

Merlin gasped from the ground. He spluttered as he sat up, great hacking coughs leaving his chest. He was alive. Arthur choked out a little laugh, unbelieving at the sight. Merlin’s coughs stopped abruptly and his eyes flew over to where Arthur still lay, watching him. They stared at each other for what felt like hours and Arthur’s smile slowly slipped off his face. Merlin was frightened. No, Merlin was terrified. He had never seen the man look how he did now. He looked like a caged animal, realising there was no escape. He hadn’t even looked this way fighting Cedric. Arthur felt the sickness rush to his stomach once again. In his hand a stone was clutched, burning an impossible blue. It must have been what was left of that magician.

A door creaked open, echoing through the quiet of the citadel. Backlit from the warmth inside stood a figure, hunched and wary. Gaius. Merlin’s eyes flickered to him and the tension rushed out of him immediately. He stood there staring at Gaius for a long moment, before Gaius called out.

“Merlin?” He sounded unsure. The fog crawled around Merlin’s silhouette, as though it now obeyed him. Arthur wouldn’t be surprised if did, now he knew how powerful Merlin was. Merlin cracked a smile and huffed out a small laugh.

“I did it.” His voice seemed impossibly small for the display Arthur had just witnessed, but proud none the less. Gaius laughed, joyous, as he embraced Merlin in a hug. Merlin whispered something in his ear and Gaius froze, eyes darting over to Arthur.

“Oh no. This complicates things.” Arthur attempted to stand, but began to sway when he got to his knees. Merlin rushed over to him and slotted himself under Arthur’s arm, holding him upright.

“Merlin.” He breathed, he vision coming in and out of focus. He shook his head to get rid of it, but it only made it worse.

“Gaius, we needed to help him, quickly.” At that, Gaius unfroze, visibly shaking himself.

“Yes, bring him this way.” And Arthur promptly blacked out.

 

Arthur felt himself lying on something very uncomfortable. It was hard and lumpy and made his back ache something terrible. There was soft light streaming through the windows, shining through a multitude of different coloured glass jars and bottles and the smell of lavender hang in the air, almost convincing Arthur to fall back asleep. He must be in Gaius’ workshop. The sound of muttered voices reached his ears and so he reopened his eyes to see Merlin and Gaius sat on a bench having a whispered discussion. He groaned when he tried to sit up, grabbing the attention of both men and they hurried over to him, pushing him back down.

“Sire, please, you need to rest, you have seriously wounded your chest.” That explained the back ache then.

“What time is it?” He croaked out whilst rubbing at his eyes, careful not to disturb his wound.

“Just after midday, Sire. You’ve been asleep for two days.” Merlin told him, hands fidgeting nervously. Hands that had crackled with lightning. Was that a dream? Surely Merlin didn’t have magic. Couldn’t. But it had all felt so real.

“Gaius, would you mind if I had a word with Merlin.” Merlin and Gaius looked at each other for a long moment, Gaius with a deep frown etched upon his face. He sucked in a deep breath and turned back to Arthur.

“As you wish, Sire.” With that Gaius left, casting one last worried look at the two men.

Silence sat heavy in the room, swallowing Arthur’s words. Merlin shuffled in his chair slightly. He looked so different now from that night. His dark hair curled up at odd angels as though he had just woken up. His shoulders were hunched in as though he was trying to make himself appear smaller and less threatening and his eyes kept darting up nervously to look at Arthur before flitting down to look at the seam at his knee that he was fiddling with. He was so like a child that it made Arthur’s heart ache worse than the pain of his ribs.

“Merlin-“ Arthur started, but Merlin took this as his cue to interrupt.

“Look, I completely understand if you don’t want me as your manservant any more, if you want me to leave Camelot, if you want to sentence me... but, please, don’t- don’t…” Merlin tried to get the words out but he couldn’t bring himself to say those words. “I know you have to, I mean you’re the Prince and you have to follow the law and I lied to, and you’ve got no reason to help me, but please just give me today to say goodbye and it’ll be like I was never here, you’ll never-“ And Arthur couldn’t bear to hear anymore at that. That Merlin would think he would never want to see him again. To forget he ever existed.

“Merlin stop.” He interrupted, grabbing Merlin’s wrist harsher than he intended. Merlin’s eyes snapped up to his, fear and pleading in his eyes.

“I’m not going to- to. I’m not going to do any of that. Christ Merlin, you saved Camelot. You saved me. Again, like you’ve every time before. The whole… magic… thing explains that a bit easier I suppose. And the fact that you think I’ve got no reason to help you is absurd. The things you’ve done in the past few days have saved countless lives, and I can’t even begin to thank you for that. I mean, it’s not like I could even stop you if I wanted to. It seems you’re pretty powerful.” At this, Merlin winced, but he appeared to be relaxing a bit more. The fear was leaving his eyes bit by bit.

“I might need some time to come to terms with the fact you are a sorcerer-” Another wince. “-but you shouldn’t ever question your position here. I know I haven’t exactly treated you as I should have-” Understatement of the century, Arthur thought. He cursed at himself for not being able to apologise properly. “-and I’ll rectify that. You are my manservant, yes, but you are friend first. You are loyal, to me and to Camelot and this city does not deserve you. You are a good man, Merlin; I want you to know that. You’ll always have a place at my side.”

Arthur could see the tears gathering in Merlin’s eyes making them glassy, and so Arthur enveloped him in a hug, one hand threading itself through Merlin’s hair, the other grasping tightly onto his jacket. Merlin’s arms wove themselves around him, careful to avoid Arthur’s bandaged middle, and buried his face into Arthur’s neck. They stayed like that and Arthur found himself finally content. Arthur would keep Merlin by his side for as long as he could, for Merlin was a good man and that was all Arthur needed.

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually adore the idea that Arthur is lowkey (higkey) obsessed with being a good man, because his father just. Isn't. And that's the reason he keeps referencing it. Also I imagine Merlin as incredibly powerful. Like super powerful. More powerful than Nimwheu. At some point (maybe in future work I don't know) he'll probably stop time or something similar. In this fic, he just hasn't learnt all that yet.  
> Hope you enjoyed!


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